Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!
THE ONE WHERE THE DOCTOR GETS ENGAGED!
Writer John Lucarotti showcases a huge understanding of Aztec culture, which is why this story feels grounded and believable while also having memorably funny and exciting parts not previously seen on the show.
This story leans strongly on the idea of non-interference during historical events, a principle that the show itself isn't always very good at following; here, it makes for good tension between the Doctor and Barbara.
The light power play and abuse of power are the driving forces behind the plot, proving that these historicals have the potential to rely on character-driven plots.
I love the ominous cliffhanger ending to Part 1, which they somehow dialled up even further for the Part 2 reprise.
This story effectively splits up the TARDIS team and shows different sides of Aztec culture through each of the characters before bringing everyone together again for the conclusion.
It's brilliant how the Doctor isn't in control of anything during this story and actually manages to make things worse for his friends a lot of the time.
The Aztecs marks one of Jaqueline Hill’s finest performances in the series, and it’s the only story that truly allows her to steal the spotlight for once. These four episodes also form a great arc for Barbara, who stands up to the Doctor and Tlotoxl but also learns to admit her mistakes.
Thanks to Carole Ann Ford's holiday, Susan appears gracefully little, and suddenly everything feels so much more bearable.
It's strange to see a companion perform an action so Doctor-like as Ian vanquishing Ixta with his thumb, but it is one of Ian's finest moments.
The little romantic subplot with the Doctor and Cameca allows William Hartnell to showcase his warmer, lovelier side, even if it feels like the least integral part of the plot.
John Ringham provides another memorable and terrifying villain with his almost comically creepy take on Tlotoxl. He is the type of antagonist that one would gladly despise, and Ringham appears to have an authentic affection for the character. I'm happy Lucarotti seems to like Tlotoxl because he has a very sinister presence from the onset and remains at the forefront until the end. He is neither a slow burn like Tegana in Marco Polo nor non-existent like Yartek in The Keys of Marinus (both 1964).
Ixta proves to be a pretty capable supporting villain, which is more than you can say for most of them on this show.
With the way he speaks, I can't get over the fact that I find Autloc actor Keith Pyott to be drunk all the time.
The backgrounds are obviously fake but somehow manage to convey a sense of space during the scenes set on top of the Aztec temple.
Okay, so the actors pretending to move a fake cave entrance stone slab as if it were very heavy is too unconvincing to come across as realistic, even for my imagination.
This story builds a strong atmosphere and introduces its setting convincingly during its opening minutes, also giving Barbara a chance to step up properly for the first time.
Despite being a bit clumsy, the duel at the end of Part 2 is surprisingly long and tense, as well as exciting.
The pacing is slightly off in Part 3, which struggles a bit to proceed the narrative towards the climax.
The latter half of the serial does take some narrative and logical shortcuts to ramp up the tension and race the story towards a finish.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The strongest story of Doctor Who's first season is a fantastically atmospheric historical adventure, with strong performances, production values, and themes to carry the story.
Review by Theo KallströmVIP 6BlockedParentSpoilers2022-03-28T20:23:19Z— updated 2024-05-15T19:44:08Z
:heart:89% = Superb! = Essential!
Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!
THE ONE WHERE THE DOCTOR GETS ENGAGED!
Writer John Lucarotti showcases a huge understanding of Aztec culture, which is why this story feels grounded and believable while also having memorably funny and exciting parts not previously seen on the show.
This story leans strongly on the idea of non-interference during historical events, a principle that the show itself isn't always very good at following; here, it makes for good tension between the Doctor and Barbara.
The light power play and abuse of power are the driving forces behind the plot, proving that these historicals have the potential to rely on character-driven plots.
I love the ominous cliffhanger ending to Part 1, which they somehow dialled up even further for the Part 2 reprise.
This story effectively splits up the TARDIS team and shows different sides of Aztec culture through each of the characters before bringing everyone together again for the conclusion.
It's brilliant how the Doctor isn't in control of anything during this story and actually manages to make things worse for his friends a lot of the time.
The Aztecs marks one of Jaqueline Hill’s finest performances in the series, and it’s the only story that truly allows her to steal the spotlight for once. These four episodes also form a great arc for Barbara, who stands up to the Doctor and Tlotoxl but also learns to admit her mistakes.
Thanks to Carole Ann Ford's holiday, Susan appears gracefully little, and suddenly everything feels so much more bearable.
It's strange to see a companion perform an action so Doctor-like as Ian vanquishing Ixta with his thumb, but it is one of Ian's finest moments.
The little romantic subplot with the Doctor and Cameca allows William Hartnell to showcase his warmer, lovelier side, even if it feels like the least integral part of the plot.
John Ringham provides another memorable and terrifying villain with his almost comically creepy take on Tlotoxl. He is the type of antagonist that one would gladly despise, and Ringham appears to have an authentic affection for the character. I'm happy Lucarotti seems to like Tlotoxl because he has a very sinister presence from the onset and remains at the forefront until the end. He is neither a slow burn like Tegana in Marco Polo nor non-existent like Yartek in The Keys of Marinus (both 1964).
Ixta proves to be a pretty capable supporting villain, which is more than you can say for most of them on this show.
With the way he speaks, I can't get over the fact that I find Autloc actor Keith Pyott to be drunk all the time.
The backgrounds are obviously fake but somehow manage to convey a sense of space during the scenes set on top of the Aztec temple.
Okay, so the actors pretending to move a fake cave entrance stone slab as if it were very heavy is too unconvincing to come across as realistic, even for my imagination.
This story builds a strong atmosphere and introduces its setting convincingly during its opening minutes, also giving Barbara a chance to step up properly for the first time.
Despite being a bit clumsy, the duel at the end of Part 2 is surprisingly long and tense, as well as exciting.
The pacing is slightly off in Part 3, which struggles a bit to proceed the narrative towards the climax.
The latter half of the serial does take some narrative and logical shortcuts to ramp up the tension and race the story towards a finish.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The strongest story of Doctor Who's first season is a fantastically atmospheric historical adventure, with strong performances, production values, and themes to carry the story.